week 37

April 21, 2009
Hello my dear family and friends!Well it has been a new experience for me this last week. I was transferred to Fountain Valley with Sister Brinegar. Last Tuesday I was nervous and a little uncertain about all that was going to happen. This week I am in much better spirits. I have been humbled and know that this is what the Lord needs and that I am where the Lord needs me to be. Sister Brinegar is so great! I just love her! This is her last transfer and we are determined to make her best. We get along great and we have shared many laughs. I am hitting a huge landmark this week of 9 months and I have been a little unsettled about it. It is a weird feeling to be on the downslide. It seemed like it would never come and now it is here I don't know how I feel about it. I had a hard week emotionally. It was a lot harder to transfer this time. Sister Brinegar was very patient and gave loving advice. She is a great friend already. We serve in 3 wards here in Fountain Valley. I was reading through my letters this last week and I read my first letter that I sent home from the field. I talked about how tired I was and how long church was. On sunday I just laughed because that was nothing. On Sunday we went PEC for the first ward at 745 and then went home and did our studies. After study we went to 3rd ward for sacrament, missionary correlation for 1st ward then to 2nd ward sacrament and 3rd ward correlation and then to 2nd ward Relief Society. In short we spent more than 5 hours in meetings at church. We then had a dinner appointment, a baptism for our district leader and then a lesson with Bob. I was soooooooo exhausted when I came home. I just wanted to sleep. 3 wards keeps us very busy. I tried to at least meet the bishop and the ward mission leaders. Man I thought one ward was a lot of work. Being able to attend a baptism was beautiful. The spirit is always so sweet and strong. I just love it. We had an amazing lesson with Bob. Sister Matthews, the member we live with, came with us. We were running a little late and we weren't quite sure how serious he was. When we got there he opened the door before we could knock and invited us in. We had a great lesson! He was so full of questions and a desire to learn. His word has taken him to Salt Lake for years and he loves the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He watches Music and the Spoken Word every Sunday. It seems very promising. He told us he would do more than pray about the Book of Mormon but that he was going to read it. It was really great. We do a lot of less active work here in Fountain Valley and I love it. Yesterday it got up to 100 and we were dying. It was so hot! The warm season is just beginning. Luckily we are pretty close to the coast so we can still feel the ocean breeze. We met an amazing lady the other day. We were picking some older members that we could go and meet that we didn't know. We chose a 90 year old lady and went to visit her. She is a foster mom for emergency shelter babies. Sister Brinegar and I were floored. She has so much energy and just loves these little babies. I want to be her when I grow up. It is weird being the driver. It has been a while since I have been behind the wheel but it is fun. I don't have to stand in back of the car and look silly now. I love the Matthews! They are a great family! They have a son who lives in the first ward. They are always looking out for us. If we don't have a meal appointment they make sure that we are fed. I am so excited to get new sisters! I am so excited for the experiences that they are going to have. There truly is nothing else like it! Oh I met another sweet old lady, Hazel. She is bedridden and has been for quite some time. She is so sweet! I love visiting the older generation. They are the best! She told me that I have all of the qualities to be a great nurse. We also met the Rowe's. We call then Grandma and Grandpa. They are funny! I truly love these people already and it is because of my testimony and love for my Savior. There is no other way to love than like the Savior. I love this work and I love this gospel! I know that this is the work of the Lord! I love all of you and wish the best of luck this week wherever you are! You are in my prayers and thoughts always! Love Hermana Mickelsen